Iowans on Medicaid Part 4

Rachel Fredericksen and her son Gage sit in their car outside her son Shawn's elementary school in Clinton on April 5, 2013.

Credit Clay Masters / IPR

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Rachel Fredericksen is a volunteer with Americorps. She lives on a stipend that covers the cost of living and she's on Medicaid. The program gives her peace of mind that she and her two sons are covered while she starts her career in the non-profit sector.

There’s a showdown of sorts between Iowa Republican Governor Terry Branstad and the Democratic-controlled Senate over expanding Medicaid. Under federal law all states have to decide whether or not they’ll extend enrollment in the joint state and federal healthcare program for the poor. The legislature’s 110-day session is set to end Friday, but the dispute over Medicaid is one of the issues that’s likely to keep lawmakers from going home. For the last few months IPR Statehouse Correspondent Clay Masters has been talking to Iowans who receive Medicaid services to get their input on the debate. As we hear in Clay’s final installment of the series we’ve been calling “Iowans on Medicaid.”

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Right now, under federal law states have to figure out how to insure the poor. They can either expand the joint federal/state healthcare program for low-income people called Medicaid… or they can get waivers and devise their own plans. Democrats who control the Iowa Senate are at odds with Republican Governor Terry Branstad has introduced his own plan. IPR Statehouse correspondent Clay Masters wanted to get away from the politics and talk to Iowans who receive these services.

There’s one issue that will likely help keep state lawmakers from adjourning at the end of the week; that’s healthcare. Thousands of low-income Iowans will be kicked off a healthcare program that expires at the end of the year and there’s disagreement over how to cover them. Republican Governor Terry Branstad is at odds with Democratic-controlled Senate who want to expand Medicaid. The governor doesn’t want to rely on the feds… so he’s introduced his own plan.

The Democratic-controlled Iowa Senate wants to expand Medicaid in the state. Republican Governor Terry Branstad does NOT and has introduced his own plan. Medicaid is the joint federal-state healthcare program for low-income people. As Iowa Public Radio’s Clay Masters reports the Republican-controlled House held a public hearing on the Senate’s expansion bill Tuesday night.